ticketsMember | Make a donation

Medallion quilt

ca. 1960
Not on view
The bold design and harmoniously clashing color palette of this Medallion quilt exemplify some of the qualities that made works from Gee’s Bend a sensation when they were first introduced to art museum visitors in 2002. While often equated with abstract paintings by white men, these quilts are solely the products of the needs and aesthetics of the African American women who made them. In this case, Loretta Pettway composed a thrilling design through clever improvisation with a simple block form. She created six blocks with multicolored strips of fabric, and then stitched three together with the strips arranged horizontally and three with the strips turned vertically. The juxtaposition of the blocks creates a jarring rhythm that pleases the eye, and the black and white borders add to the sophistication of the design.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Medallion quilt
  • Artist: Loretta Pettway (American, born Boykin, Alabama 1942)
  • Date: ca. 1960
  • Medium: Top: cotton and rayon-acetate blend; back: cotton
  • Dimensions: 81 3/4 in. × 70 in. (207.6 × 177.8 cm)
  • Classification: Textiles
  • Credit Line: Gift of Souls Grown Deep Foundation from the William S. Arnett Collection, 2014
  • Object Number: 2014.548.51
  • Rights and Reproduction: © 2025 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Lazy Gal Bars quilt, Loretta Pettway American, Top: cotton and cotton-polyester blend; back: polyester
Lazy Gal Bars quilt
Loretta Pettway
ca. 1965
Housetop quilt, Loretta Pettway American, Top: cotton and polyester; back: cotton and rayon
Housetop quilt
Loretta Pettway
1963
Street Story Quilt, Faith Ringgold American, Cotton canvas, acrylic paint, ink marker, dyed and printed cotton, and sequins, sewn to a cotton flannel backing
Street Story Quilt
Faith Ringgold
1985
The Bride, Lenore Tawney American, Linen, feathers, wood
The Bride
Lenore Tawney
1962
Log Cabin quilt, Mary Elizabeth Kennedy American, Top: cotton and rayon; back: cotton and rayon
Log Cabin quilt
Mary Elizabeth Kennedy
ca. 1935

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.